NoviSign API: Introduction and Getting Started

The NoviSign API allows you to connect NoviSign with external systems, applications, and data sources. Using the API, you can automate actions, trigger Events, inject real-time data, and control screen behavior based on inputs from other platforms.

This article serves as an introductory guide to the NoviSign API. It explains what the API is, how it is used within the NoviSign platform, and how to get started with common integration scenarios.

NoviSign exposes multiple APIs across different layers of the product, enabling programmatic control of digital signage content, dynamic updates to Studio-managed content, Event triggering, and automation workflows. These APIs can be used to integrate third-party systems, push structured data into NoviSign, or allow players to respond automatically to external inputs.

Whether you are building enterprise integrations, automation pipelines, or AI-driven workflows, this article provides the technical entry point to understanding how NoviSign APIs fit into the overall platform.

An API (Application Programming Interface) allows software systems to communicate with each other.

In NoviSign, the API enables external systems to interact with your account and players without manual actions in the Studio. Instead of logging in and triggering actions manually, an external system can send requests to NoviSign, which then performs predefined actions automatically.

Using the NoviSign API, you can:

• Trigger Events on screens

• Control screen behavior from external systems

• Update content dynamically

• Automate workflows that would otherwise require manual intervention

The API is intended for developers, system integrators, and technical partners.

The NoviSign API works in addition to the Studio, not instead of it.

All content and structure are still created and managed in the Studio, including Creatives, Playlists, Screens, and Events. The API is then used to trigger, update, or control these existing elements automatically from an external system.

Example

An Event is configured in the Studio to change screen content.
When an external system sends a request to the NoviSign API, the Event is triggered automatically on the relevant screens.

Beyond simple Event triggering, the NoviSign APIs enable a wide range of programmatic interactions, including:

• Pushing dynamic data into screens using Catalog Write APIs

• Retrieving structured data via Catalog Service endpoints

• Triggering remote screen Events using the Notification Service

• Updating creative parameters and playback behavior in real time

• Connecting external systems such as CRM, POS, transportation feeds, BI tools, and automation platforms

• Integrating AI systems via MCP to trigger content changes or screen Events

In addition to traditional API integrations, NoviSign also supports MCP (Model Context Protocol) as a modern way to integrate AI tools and large language models with NoviSign.

MCP allows AI systems (such as Claude) to securely interact with NoviSign data and actions through a structured protocol, without building a custom API integration from scratch. This approach is especially useful for AI-driven workflows, dynamic content generation, and conversational or automation-based use cases.

To learn more and see a complete setup example, see:
Introducing MCP: A New Way to Integrate AI with NoviSign

Getting started with the NoviSign API typically involves the following steps:

1. Prepare your API source
   Create or obtain the API that will send requests to NoviSign. This may be an internal system, a third-party service, or a custom application.

2. Configure the API in NoviSign Studio
   In the Studio, define how NoviSign should respond to incoming API requests. This usually includes:

   • Creating or configuring Events

   • Defining the actions to be triggered on screens

   • Associating the configuration with the relevant content or screens

3. Apply the configuration to players
   Using Configurations, apply the API-related settings to the target players so they can receive and respond to API-triggered actions.

4. Test before going live
   Test the integration on non-production screens to confirm that API requests trigger the expected behavior.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions with screenshots and configuration examples, see:

NoviSign External API Guide: From Studio Configuration to Player Setup

The following examples demonstrate real-world uses of the NoviSign API and can be used as reference implementations.

MTA Integration Example

Demonstrates how NoviSign integrates with an external transportation system to trigger Events and update content dynamically.

View the sample project on GitHub

Event API Demo

Demonstrates how to use the NoviSign Event API to trigger screen actions programmatically.

Check out the example on GitHub

• Using the API requires technical knowledge and development resources.

• Always test integrations on non-production screens before deploying them to live environments.

• API availability and behavior may depend on your account configuration and permissions.

If you’re unsure whether the API is the right solution for your use case or need assistance getting started, please contact NoviSign Support. We’ll be happy to help.